The Care and Maintenance of Your Deck(s)
Whether you read just for yourself or if you have a large clientele, you will want to keep your deck as free as possible from accidents. Over time, some wear and tear will occur, but here are some helpful tips to extending the life of your deck. Remember, this is your tool, like a carpenter's hammer and plane, so show it some respect. After all, you never know when your favourite deck will go out of print and become significantly more difficult to obtain!
Keep it in something. Whether it's wrapped in silk to thwart negative vibrations or if you use the cardboard box it came in, a container of some description helps to keep your deck all together and free of stains.
Cleanse it regularly. There are lots of ways to do this, so find the method that works for you personally. Once a month during the full moon, I put all my decks in the window overnight. Other people store their decks with crystals, sprinkle them with salt, smudge them with incense, meditate over them or even smack them soundly against a table edge. If they have been exposed to a particularly nasty energy, some readers will even put their cards in a leakproof container and bury it in the garden for a time. It's an intriguing thought, but we have too many free-ranging cats in our neighbourhood for that here...
Keep away from children and pets, especially babies, who put everything directly into their mouths. Accidents can and will occur, but these are tools, not toys, and the sharp edges can result in some nasty papercuts.
Shuffle gently. Some readers have a coronary if a client does the old bridge riffle. Some readers don't even let their clients shuffle the deck. I have never had a problem in this area, most people are pretty respectful and aware of the fact that these cards are how I make my livelihood, but it's something to keep in mind.